page_title: France–Germany relations
section_title: Friendship
hierarchical_section_title: France–Germany relations / History / Friendship
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Am 24. September 1987 nahmen Bundeskanzler Dr.Helmut Kohl und der französische Staatspräsident Francois Mitterrand an der deutsch-französischen Heeresübung Kecker Spatz teil. Die Übung wurde vom II. deutschen Korps mit 55.000 Mann und von der französischen schnellen Eingreiftruppe (FAR) mit 20.000 Mann in Bayern und Baden-Württemberg durchgeführt. Es war dies die bisher größte deutsch-französische Übung. Im Bild: Staatspräsident Mitterrand und Bundeskanzler Kohl (v.l.n.r.) während einer Pressekonferenz auf dem Luftwaffenstützpunkt Manching
context_page_description: The relations between France and Germany form an integral part of the wider politics of Europe with both countries being founder and leading Member states of the European Union and its predecessor the European Communities since its inception in 1958 with the signing of the Treaty of Rome.
  General relations between the two countries since 1871, according to Ulrich Krotz, have had three grand periods: 'hereditary enmity', 'reconciliation' and since 1963 the 'special relationship' embodied in a cooperation called Franco-German Friendship.
  In the context of the European Union, the cooperation between the two countries is immense and intimate. Even though France has at times been eurosceptical in outlook, especially under President Charles de Gaulle, Franco-German agreements and cooperations have always been key to furthering the ideals of European integration.
  In recent times, France and Germany are among the most enthusiastic proponents of the further integration of the EU. They are sometimes described as the "twin engine" or "core countries" pushing for moves.
context_section_description: With the threat of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, West Germany sought its national security in the re-integration into Western Europe, while France sought after a re-establishment as a Grande Nation. The post-war Franco-German cooperation is based on the Élysée Treaty, which was signed by Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer on January 22, 1963. The treaty contained a number of agreements for joint cooperation in foreign policy, economic and military integration and exchange of student education. 
  The treaty was signed under difficult political situations at that time and criticized both by opposition parties in France and Germany, as well as from the United Kingdom and the United States. Opposition from the United Kingdom and the United States was answered by an added preamble which postulated a close cooperation with those (including NATO) and a targeted German reunification.
  The treaty achieved a lot in initiating European integration and a stronger Franco-German co-position in transatlantic relations.
  The initial concept for the Franco-German cooperation however dates back a lot further than the Élysée Treaty and is based on the overcoming the centuries of Franco-German hostilities within Europe. It was compared to a re-establishment of Charlemagne's European empire as it existed before division by the Treaty of Verdun in 843 AD.
  The Schuman declaration of 1950 is regarded by some as the founding of Franco-German cooperation, as well as of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) of 1951, which also included Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
  The cooperation was accompanied by strong personal alliance in various degrees:
  Konrad Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle
  Willy Brandt and Georges Pompidou
  Helmut Schmidt and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
  Helmut Kohl and François Mitterrand
  Gerhard Schröder and Jacques Chirac
  Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy
  Angela Merkel and François Hollande
  Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron
caption: François Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl in 1987.
exif: {}